Topic: 2 center speakers

[comet]

Mga sirs,

is it ok to  use 2 center speakers in parallel? Somebody advised me to do this para lumawak ang dialogue in HT.

[streetsmart]

Most people say that this is not a good idea unless ipagapatong mo ang 2 speakers. Actually, di dapat lumawak ang dialogue. It should be perceived as coming straight from the screen. For this, the best is to use a projector and a sonically transparent screen and you position the center speaker behind the screen. The center speaker should be monopole.

[jerix]

I got a good experience using two center speakers: one on top of my screen and one at the bottom. The effect is better because under the setup, the dialogue gets exactly right on the center of my screen. I connected them on series. 

[streetsmart]

I got a good experience using two center speakers: one on top of my screen and one at the bottom. The effect is better because under the setup, the dialogue gets exactly right on the center of my screen. I connected them on series. 

Good idea. But I guess that the speakers would have different distances from the listening positions. This would create a problem kasi di na sabay dumating ang sound sa listener.

[reynold]

It depends on how you will position your center speakers. IMO, 2 is better than 1

There are also receivers with 2 speaker terminals just for the front center only, The Yamaha DSP-A1 and the yamaha RX-V1 (both yamaha flagship receivers, don't know if there are other brands), i havent tried this on my A1 though, but i'm sure center sounds will improve if i'm going to try it, i'm still in search of another center speaker

[threadlock]

Some yamaha receivers have a feature called dialogue lift which can be utilized through the presence speakers. It is said to enhance dialogue sound.

[streetsmart]

It depends on how you will position your center speakers. IMO, 2 is better than 1

There are also receivers with 2 speaker terminals just for the front center only, The Yamaha DSP-A1 and the yamaha RX-V1 (both yamaha flagship receivers, don't know if there are other brands), i havent tried this on my A1 though, but i'm sure center sounds will improve if i'm going to try it, i'm still in search of another center speaker

Familiar ako sa DSP-A1. I used to own one. I am not sure if it had 2 speaker terminals for the center but it had 2 pre-outs for the center. I used those to connect to the left and right channels of an amp which I used to drive 2 speakers which I used for the center. After several years of using 2 speakers for the center, I reverted to just one speaker and I think it sounds better -- but maybe that's just me.

[jerix]

Good idea. But I guess that the speakers would have different distances from the listening positions. This would create a problem kasi di na sabay dumating ang sound sa listener.

I think this pauses a problem if the listening area is considerabley wide because the travel of the sound is longer. But in my case my listening area is confined in a 4-5 meters of space from the screen.

[ProtegeManiac]

I think you have to angle the two center speakers appropriately to make this work, like have them both aim at head-level of the listening position. sort of like angling your car's midrange and tweeter, even if the two centers are playing the same freqs if they're that far apart there will msot likely be phase problems.

[av_phile1]

I've seen high end home theater set-ups with 2 identical floor standing centers.  Just position them to the L and R of your screen and the center localization would be the same, since they'd be in monophonic mode anyway.  Some serious audiophile HT enthusiast prefer it that way - having the centers identical in every way to the main L and R floorstanding speakers. Especially in larger-than-typical HT rooms.

[STRIKER]

i think if it comes from 2 areas (horizontally) then it cannot be considered as a center.
the main essence of a center is having it enter your ears with the same sound level, thus making your brain recognize it as the sound from the center. Its one of the reasons why the 6.1 set-up didn't "click". since you had one speaker behind you in the rear of the room it confuses your brain, it would have a hard time deciphering       the location... front center or rear center thus 7.1 set-up is born.
the most recommended set-up of a dual center is one on top and one below the screen.

one more important thing to keep in mind is speaker placement!!! its the cheapest upgrade available!!!!

try to place the center below the screen with the face of the center inline with the screen and fronts slightly forward forming a gentle arc.

thanks ... hope this helps

[streetsmart]

I think you have to angle the two center speakers appropriately to make this work, like have them both aim at head-level of the listening position. sort of like angling your car's midrange and tweeter, even if the two centers are playing the same freqs if they're that far apart there will msot likely be phase problems.

You can do this for one listening position, not multiple positions.

[streetsmart]

i think if it comes from 2 areas (horizontally) then it cannot be considered as a center.
the main essence of a center is having it enter your ears with the same sound level, thus making your brain recognize it as the sound from the center. Its one of the reasons why the 6.1 set-up didn't "click". since you had one speaker behind you in the rear of the room it confuses your brain, it would have a hard time deciphering       the location... front center or rear center thus 7.1 set-up is born.
the most recommended set-up of a dual center is one on top and one below the screen.

one more important thing to keep in mind is speaker placement!!! its the cheapest upgrade available!!!!

try to place the center below the screen with the face of the center inline with the screen and fronts slightly forward forming a gentle arc.

thanks ... hope this helps

I personally agree with this, including the comments on placement!

I don't really see how it will help if you have 2 center speakers. The function of the center speaker is to fix the dialogue at the screen. I would say that you can do that best with one good center speaker.

In my case, I have one big center speaker and everyone comments that the dialogue of movies in my room is so clear.

[allan1836]

Just to share my experience, I experimented and compare with 2 bookshelf speakers as center (one on each side of the monitor) and the normal big single center speaker. I found out that the 2 speaker configuration placed the image and dialogue on the screen better than 1 single center speaker. In a single center speaker, I detect the dialogue coming from speaker more often rather than on the monitor.   

That's probably why a good 2ch stereo system is good enough, if your not after surround sound. 

[av_phile1]

Just to share my experience, I experimented and compare with 2 bookshelf speakers as center (one on each side of the monitor) and the normal big single center speaker. I found out that the 2 speaker configuration placed the image and dialogue on the screen better than 1 single center speaker. In a single center speaker, I detect the dialogue coming from speaker more often rather than on the monitor.   

Yup. two identical speakers giving the same identical signals result in the same monaural sound spread localized in between the two speakers.  No different from having a single center speaker.  It can give better results than just having a single center speaker especially when you have a wider audience spread.  That is why in many theaters, there are often two center speakers behind the screen to cover the wider audience spread but still having a localized signal at the center. 

For HT, as long as the two identical speakers flanking the screen are giving off the same signals, you get a center image.  Stereo 2 speaker systems give that center illusion when you listen to the vocal which gets centered because the vocal signals are common or identical in both channels.  And if you noticed, most LCD and Plasma displays have L and R speakers flanking the screen. The center vocals common in both L and R speakers are imaged in the center. That's the principle behind a Phantom Center setting in Pre/pros and AVRs if you don't have a center speaker.

[RXV]

I think most movie theaters use 2 center speakers (at the top and bottom of screen) di ba?